Powder dispensing apparatus



June 18, 1957 J. F; DOOLEY, JR 2,796,201

POWDER DISPENSING" APPARATUS Filed A ril 25, "1955 [In 5:] w fi /I) IN V EN TOR. By John .Daoleyfla United States Patene PiOWDER DISPENSING APPARATUS John F. Dooley, Jr., Pacoima, Calif.

Application April 25, 1955, Serial No. 503,400

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-182) This invention relates to powder or liquid dispensing devices such as ordinarily found in lavatories and bath rooms. Such material as toothpowder and liquid soap usually is discharged into the palm of the hand. In dispensingdevices such as generally used, one hand is required to operate the dispenser while the other hand is held, palm upward, below the discharge orifice. This is not only a cumbersome manner of dispensing but, because the operating element of such dispensers is at the top thereof, it is often found that the upper hand. obscures the line of vision to the lower hand or at least draws the attention from the lower hand. The result being that some of the dispensed material may drop outsidethe palm of the hand when incorrectly held below the orifice of the dispenser.

It is the general object of'the present inventionto provide. a dispensing device operableby one hand. It is a further object to provide a dispenser which is more convenient to operate and more attractive in appearance.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description and by referring to the accompanying drawings in which preferred forms of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view through the vertical center of a dispenser embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding plan view of the device with the cover thereof removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 shows details of construction the importance of which is hereinafter fully explained;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of this modified device.

The device of the invention is in Fig. 1 shown mounted on a wall 1 by means of a frame 2 having a cross brace 3 seated therein and studs 4 are mounted on the wall to receive this brace as will be hereinafter more fully described. A cylindrical receptacle is rigidly secured in position within the frame 2 and the lower end of this receptacle as well as of the framing is downwardly tapered, terminating at the bottom in a discharge orifice 11. A bracket 12 projects from the inner surface of the receptacle, nearer the upper end thereof and a coaxial passage 13 extends through the bracket of a size freely to receive therein an operating rod 14. A spherical head 15 of a size slightly larger than the diameter of the passage 11 is secured to the lower end of this rod normally to maintain the passage closed. A compression spring 16 is seated on the rod directly below the bracket 12 and a collar 17 of the rod maintains the spring under sufficient tension to press the head 15 against the conical seat 19 formed within the passage.

The upper end of the bracket 12 is at 20 shown recessed to receive the inner end of a hand lever 21 and a pin 22 is transversely mounted therein to form a pivot seated in a groove 23 of the bracket. An elongated opening 24 is cut through the lever in position to receive ice therein the upper end of the rod 14 and a substantially circular collar 25 is mounted on the rod directly above spherical head 15 of the rod sufficiently to permit a small.

amount of powder to discharge through the orifice 11. And when the lever is bent downwardly as indicated at 26 to extend a distance below the discharge orifice of the receptacle, it is seen that the device may be very conveniently operated to dispense powder therefrom.

A lid 30 is at 31 shown flanged tightly to seat on the frame 2 and it extends nearly to the wall completely to cover the upper surface of the frame 2 and the receptacle 10. the frame is seated on studs 4 and these studs may be mounted on a plate 32. Key hole shaped passages 33 are cut through the brace of a size to seat on the studs tightly to lock the frame in position on the plate. The latter may be mounted on the wall in any suitable manner, but I have found it most convenient to apply a layer of a suitable mastic composition to the wall. When the .plate is foraminous, substantially as indicated at 34 in Fig. 3 and when it is pressed against themastic coating, it is found that the mastic material 35 will be forced into the openings of the plate and, when permitted to set before the frame 2is mounted thereon, will maintain the frame rigidly in position indefinitely. Should it be required later to remove the plate from the wall, it is merely requiredto apply the correct kind of solvent to release the.

plate for removal.

The spherical head and the conical seat in the receptacle for this head should be of the size best suited for the type and amount of powder to be dispensed and fingers 18 may be seated in the head to insure agitation of the powder each time the handle is pushed rearwardly to raise the head.

A simplified form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The shape of the receptacle may remain substantially as above outlined and it may similarly form a part of a casing. Or it may be mounted on the end of a stem 41, which at 42 is shown pivotally secured in position on a wall bracket 43. When so mounted, it may be swung outward on its pivot into more convenient operation positions. A rod 45, similar to the rod 14, is shown fitted with a spherical head 46 which by a spring 47 is held tightly against the conical seat 48 The spring is mounted between a bracket 4) and a pin 50 and it will function like the spring 16 of Fig. 1, but the manner in which the rod is actuated to raise the head is different. The head is shown fitted with a downwardly extending stem 51 which may be moved by the palm of the hand to raise the head from its seat. This type of valve control is most convenient in dispensing tooth powder, a small amount of which generally is deposited in the palm of the hand for pick up by the tooth brush. However, in order to render the device convenient for dispensing other types of powder, it is merely required to place a small handle 53 on the upper end of the rod which, in this case, is carried through the lid 54 of the receptacle. This handle is preferably ball'shaped but may, of course, be differently designed for convenient operation.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a simple device for liquid or powder dispensing by one hand. In order to operate the device of Fig. 1 by the hand the palm of which is to receive the dispensed material, it is merely required to push the ends of the fingers against the lower end of the lever 21 to move the lever to open the discharge orifice and to aline the palm therewith. It is important to note that the lever is so It was above stated that the transverse brace of proportioned that the pressure required to elevate the valve head 15 is negligible.

But while I have described preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that further modifications, within the scope of the claims hereto appended, may be incorporated without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A powder dispensing device comprising a cylindrical downwardly tapering receptacle open at the bottom and having at the open bottom thereof a conical seat, a rod coaxially seated for vertical movement within the receptacle, the rod terminating at the bottom in a spherical head engaging said seat, a knob on the upper end of the rod, a bracket mounted on the inner wall surface of the receptacle to guide the upper end of the rod, a lever detachably mounted in said bracket for oscillation within the receptacle and transversely extending through the wall thereof, continuing downwardly a distance below the receptacle, the lever being manually movable to contact said knob thereby to move the rod to raise the head from the seat to open a dispensing passage through the bottom opening for the powder within the receptacle.

2. A powder dispensing device comprising a cylindrical downwardly tapering receptacle open at the bottom and having at the open bottom thereof a conical seat, a cover for the receptacle, a rod coaxially seated for vertical movement within the receptacle, the rod terminating at the bottom in a spherical head engaging said seat, a knob on the upper end of the rod, a bracket projecting from the inner wall surface of the receptacle, the bracket having a coaxial passage extending therethrough freely to receive therein the rod, a collar on the rod below the bracket, a compression spring on the rod between the bracket and the collar, a lever pivotally hung in the bracket within the receptacle and transversely extending through the receptacle and the wall thereof, continuing downwardly a distance below the receptacle, the lever being manually movable on its pivot to contact said knob thereby to move the rod to raise the head from the seat to open a dispensing passage through the bottom opening for the powder within the receptacle.

3. A powder dispensing device comprising a cylindrical downwardly tapering receptacle open at the bottom and having at the open bottom thereof a conical seat, a cover for the receptacle, a bracket projecting from the inner wall surface of the receptacle and having a coaxial passage therethrough, the upper end of the bracket being grooved, a rod coaxially seated in the passage through the bracket for vertical movement within the receptacle, the rod terminating at the bottom in a spherical head engaging said seat, a knob on the upper end of the rod, a lever within the receptacle and transversely extending through the wall thereof, continuing downwardly a distance below the receptacle, the lever being pivotally seated in the groove of the bracket and manually movable on its pivot to contact said knob thereby to move the rod to raise the head from the seat to open a dispensing passage for the powder within the receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 933,699 De Laurence Sept. 7, 1909 1,822,703 Lumley Sept. 8, 1931 1,880,625 Wilmeth Oct. 4, 1932 2,028,655 Fitzkee Jan. 21, 1936 2,284,720 Binon June 2, 1942 2,307,291 Packwood Jan. 5, 1943 2,340,932 Chalups Feb. 8, 1944 2,623,659 Gadelius Dec. 30, 1952 

